Customize your putting grip

In some situations, the most effective way to break out of a slump is with a slight tweaking of fundamentals. The putting grip is a good example: Traditional instruction recommends a reverse overlap grip, with the entire left hand on the club and both thumbs running down the center of the shaft. It's a great grip for most golfers, but if you're having trouble finding the hole, deviating from this grip position may be exactly what you need to put your putts on the straight and narrow. Here are a few possibilities to consider.


SPEED CONTROL: DOUBLE-REVERSE OVERLAP

If you are running putts well past the hole or leaving them consistently short, emphasize the left hand. Most golfers use the left hand to control the speed of the putterhead during the stroke. Hit a few putts holding the club in the left hand alone and you'll notice that the through-stroke feels very natural and it takes only subtle changes to control distance. You might even try playing a few rounds this way, but it's tough on short putts. For a happy medium, try the double-reverse overlap. It's similar to a reverse overlap, but let both the middle and forefingers of the right hand overlap the left and, instead of running the right thumb down the shaft, rest it on top of the left thumb. This will give you just enough right hand for a sense of stability while placing most of the control in the left.


DIRECTION CONTROL: MODIFIED RIGHT-HAND LOW

Traditionally, the end of the putter grip rests in the palm of the right hand while the back of the right hand is parallel to the clubface, facing the target line. If the right hand turns, the clubface does, too. If you're having problems keeping the clubface square, working on the right hand may be the answer.


To feel this work, grip the putter in the right hand, the back parallel to the clubface, and set the clubhead behind a ball. Without making a backswing, push the ball toward the hole. You'll find that wherever the back of your right hand goes, so does the ball.

A good way to increase right-hand control and clubface stability is with a modified right-hand low, or cross-handed, grip. Hold the club in the palm of your right hand, about four inches below the end of the grip, the thumb running down the center of the shaft. Put your left hand on the grip above your right (the reverse of a normal grip), with the palm facing the target. To keep the right hand in control, run the forefinger of the left hand down the shaft, across the fingers of the right, then wrap the thumb and remaining three fingers of the left hand around the base of the right wrist. This grip is similar to that used by Bernhard Langer, except that instead of extending the right hand down to the shaft, his hands remain together.